Hey my family and friends hope you are well. Started Long Range 3pm Saturday and finished 6pm Monday. AWSOME hike but I have never worked so hard with a map and compass and am thankful Ken Hetherington was so outstanding with map and compass.

Animal trails everywhere, going everywhere. saw 6 Bull Moose, 2 cows and 1 calf, in excess of 30 caribou and some were very very close, One bull Moose was no more than 30 feet away standing in the brush beside us and made a sound to let us know he was there,probably never saw a human before (no kidding). Mountain on top of mountains, bog, tundra, temerack, wind rain ,snow, heat...we had it all.

As beautiful as Chic Chocs and even more dramatic and wild and it goes forever. Wore rubber boats with felt liners and normal hiking boots would rot of your feet, some bog was up to your hips. Camping spots available with platforms but were not located where we spent the nights but were nice with bear boxes and toilet (plastic stand in the trees, like siting on a throne in the middle of the forest). Very tough going much of the time but the compass work was and is the essential skill to do this hike.

The map we had was one to fifty thousand and next time we will try and get a one to twenty five thousand....the lakes mountains and valleys all start to look alike there are soooooo many. BOTTOME LINE- COMPASS AND MAP, NO MARKED TRAIL FOR 45KLMS, BELIEVE IN YOURCOMPASS, TAKE THE 4 DAYS AND ENJOY. This was the most exciting adventure I have ever undertaken. I have been lucky enough to find Ken in Pictou County and look forward to introducing he and his wife Mary to other Gonzos..and then there were six: Olive and Pop, Gordon and Carol, Ken and Mary. NORTHERN GONZOS..miss seeing the gang...

popye.

Love to Angela and Erika